Toecap for toe dancing shoes



yJuly 11, 1939. Q SCHROEDER 2,165,581.

TOE GAP FOR TOE DANCING SHOES Filed 0G13. 22, 1938 ATTORNEY;

Patented July 11, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for use in the art of toe dancing,and its object is to provide means whereby a toe dancer may add to herrepertoire of steps a gliding or skating move'- ment. A further objectis to provide a device which will permit such gliding steps and willalso facilitate a revolving or spinning elect on the part of such a toedancer. y

It is old to provide a shoe for a toe dancer with a rotatable blockmounted in. the toe, upon which block a dancer may spin or revolve, butno shoe has been made which provides means whereby one dancing on hertoes may glide or skate. The combining of such novel skating means withspinning means places a wide and valuable addition of new steps andmovements within the range of such dancers.

In providing means making such new steps' possible, I provide in thefloor bearing surface of the toe of a shoe for toe dancing a roller orball which is rotatably mounted on a bearing in an opening in suchsurface. When special facilities for spinning are desired such a rolleris mounted in the same manner in a lug which is mounted rotatably onball bearings in a recess of such floor bearing surface of a shoe. Whenit is desirable to use varying multiples of such rollers, I provideremovable plugs having rollers in the desired number.

`To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, saidinvention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth indetailce'rtain structure embodying the invention, such disclosed meansconstituting, however, but one of various structural forms in which theprinciple of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view in cross-section of a preferred embodiment usingfour rollers;

Fig. 2 is a top view in cross-section of the same;

Fig. 3 is an elevational front view of same;

Fig. 4 is a view of a plug carrying three rollers;

Fig. 5 is a side view of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view of a plug carrying two rollers;

Fig. '7 is a side view of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a view of a plug carrying one roller;

Fig. 9 is a side view of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a view of a plug showing an alternate type of roller mountedtherein;

Fig. 11 is a side view of Fig. 10 in cross-section.

In a preferred embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, Imount rotatable elements in a plug which is removably inserted in anopening in the floor facing portion of the toe cap of a dancing shoe. Insuch preferred form the said plug is made round and mounted on rollerbearings that the dancer may spin on her 5 toe as well as skate.

VReferring to the drawing, the toe cap indicated generally as I has theform of a truncated hollow cone ofmetal with a division wall 2transverse of the cone. A strap-like extension 3 of a side 10 of thecone provides means whereby it may be attached to a dancing shoe. Thewalls 4 of the smaller end of the cone shaped cap I are so formed thattheir inside faces are normal to the division wall 2. I have usedaluminum in forming 15 the cone shaped toe cap I, and have found itdesirable to insert a steel bearing plate 5 in the bottom of thecylindrical opening 6 formed by the walls 4 of the smaller end of thecone shaped cap for a purpose hereinafter explained. This' 20 plate IiVis held in place by clips 'I which passV through openings in thedivision Wall 2 and are bent down.

Askating plug indicated generally as 8 is inserted in the cylindricalopening 6 and is held by 25 balls 9 supported by springs I8 inoppositely disposed holes I0 bored radially'in the curved surface of theplug 8. That the plug 8 may be held free to rotate, the balls 9 engage agroove II located circumferentially on the inside of the 30 walls 4.

A preferred structure of a plug 8 is shown in Fig. 3. Slots I2 are cutin the outside surface of the plug 8 which is held in the cylindricalopening 6 by balls 9. Pins I3 inserted in open- 35 ings through the plug8 and across the slots I2, have rollers I4, preferably of fiber, mountedthereon. AIn Figs. 1, 2 and 3 four rollers I4 are mounted in two slotsI2, in Figs. 4 and 5 three rollers I4 are mounted in two slots I2, 6 and7 two rollers I4 are mounted in two slots I2 and in Figs. 8 and 9 asingle roller I4 is mounted in a singleslot I2. It will be understoodthat the choice of plugs will be determined in some measure by the skillof the dancer.

When using a plug 8 removably and rotatably mounted in the opening 6, Imount a ball bearing race 22 on the inner end of the plug 8 and provideball bearings 23 which roll therein and contact the steel plate 5. 50

An alternative form of plug is shown in Figs.

10 and 11 in which, instead of a roller I4 mounted on a pin I3, a ballI5 is mounted in an opening I6 in the face of a plug 8 in bearingcontact with balls in a' race I1.

in Figs. 40'

'I'he opening I6 is formed 55- axially through the plug 8 and isconstricted on the floor-contacting side of the plug to form a circularlip I8 which retains the ball I5 within the opening I6. On the oppositeside of the plug 8 the opening I6 is interiorly threaded for thereception of a threaded cup-shaped element I8 which carries on its inneredges a race I'I. Balls 20 ride in this race I'I and support the ball I5rotatably in use. A plurality of such balls I may be mounted in thefaceof a plug 8 as desired.

To facilitate the removal of the plugs 8 an opening 2I is provided inthe division wall 2 of the toe cap I and steel plate 5. Also whendesired the plug 8 may be made integrally with said toe cap instead ofbeing removably mounted in the opening 6. o

In use, a dancer will be able to tilt slightly and engage the floor withan edge of the plug 8 and thereby retard her motion. To facilitate thiscontrol, it is desirable that the rollers or balls be so mounted thatonly a small arc of the round surface projects beyond the face of theplug 8.

When using rollers as in Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive, it is desirable thatthey be mounted in a plug 8 rotatably mounted in the opening 6 with ballbearings 23, since such arrangement greatly facilitates spinningmovements.` However, such mounting is not necessary and the plug 8 maybe xedly mounted in the opening `(i or the rollers I4 may be mounted ina solidblock forming the smaller end of the toe cap I.

When using balls I5 instead of rollers, a spinning movement may readilybe performed, without the expedient of a rotatable plug 8 on ballbearings 23. However, the use of such balls I5 in place of rollers isdesirable only when the dancing is done on a hard surface. Otherwisethere may be penetrationof the balls into a soft floor suicient tohandicap the desired vmovements.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the structureherein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the followingclaims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.. Y

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A device adapted to be Worn on the toemof a shoe for toe dancing,comprising an element having a substantially flat surface so positionedas to engage a floor when toe dancing, an opening in such surface, and around element rotatably mounted in such opening on a bearing with thecurved surface of said last named element extending beyond said surface.

2. A device adapted to be Worn on the toe of a shoe for toe dancing,comprising an element adapted to receive the toe of ashoe, said elementhaving a portion presenting a substantially flat surface in a positionto engage a floor when toe ,dancing, an opening in such surface, and aroller mounted in such opening on a bearing, with the curved surface ofsaid roller extending beyond said surface.

3. A device adapted to be Worn on the toe of a shoe for toe dancing,comprising a member adapted to receive the toe of a shoe, said memberhaving a portion adapted to engage a floor when toe dancing, a, recessin said portion, and a plug rotatably mounted in said recess, said plugplug including a round element rotatably mounted on a bearing in anopening in said plug, with the curved surface of said element projectedbeyond the surface of said floor engaging portion of said member.

4. A device adapted to be worn on the toe of a shoe for toe dancing,comprising a member adapted to receive the toe of a shoe, said memberhaving a portion adapted to engage a floor when toe dancing, a circularrecess in said portion, and a plug rotatable mounted in said recess,said plug including a round element rotatably mounted on a bearing in anopening in said plug, with the curved surface of said element projectedbeyond the surface of said floor engaging portion of said member.

5. A device adapted to be worn on the toe of a shoe for toe dancing,comprising a member adapted to receive the toe of the shoe; a circularplug rotatably and removably mounted in a recess in said member, saidplug having a flat face operative when so mounted to engage a floor whentoe dancing; and a roller element rotatably mounted in an opening insaid plug with the' curved surface of said roller projected beyond thefloor engaging face of said plug.

CARL SCHROEDER.

